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Los Angeles Theatre: basement - main lounge

615 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014 | map |

The Los Angeles Theatre pages:  history | vintage exterior views | recent exterior views | entrance | grand lobby | main floor inner lobby | lobby - 1st balcony level | basement - intermediate lounge | basement - main lounge | ladies room and nursery | men's room | vintage auditorium views | recent auditorium views | stage | boothretail and support spaces |


The view down into the main lounge from the intermediate lounge level. Thanks to Angelo Costa for his photo, one taken after the installation of new carpet in 2016. It appears on the Sandra Costa Design Group Facebook page as well as in the Los Angeles Theatre set on the Angelo Costa Photography website.

The carpet design was a joint project of Daelen Cory and Paul L'Esperance of L' Esperance Design, Sandra Costa of Sandra Costa Design Group and SDE Carpet Technology.



A detail of the wall treatment as we come down the stairs. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013 



The landing at the bottom of the stairs. The doorway leads to the men's room. Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



In the foyer outside the main lounge looking back up the stairs. The intermediate level lounge area is one flight up. Go up one more and you're in the lobby. The entrance to the men's room is straight ahead. Thanks to Don Solosan for the 2009 photo taken for the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation.

The LAHTF is active in promoting awareness of the historic theatres of Los Angeles and works toward their preservation. They frequently offer tours and sponsor other events related to historic preservation. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page



Under the stairs -- with a bit of the intermediate lounge above. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013



The ceiling fixture above the men's room entrance. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for her 2009 photo. Visit her Los Angeles Theatre set on Flickr for seventy two great views of the theatre.



The landing outside the main lounge  Photo: Bill Counter - 2016



One of the two chandeliers in the foyer outside the lounge. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2009



Checking out the columns at the entrance. Thanks to Floyd B. Bariscale for his 2009 photo. Visit his Big Orange Landmarks blog, his Los Angeles Theatre article, and the 93 item photo set on Flickr.



The lounge in a blue mood for the 2017 "Night on Broadway" event. Thanks to Mike Hume for his photo. Visit his Historic Theatre Photography website for hundreds of great images of the theatres he's explored. Don't miss his page on the Los Angeles Theatre.



The lounge ceiling. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009 



The entrance to the ladies room on the south wall. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009



A closer look at the canopy over the ladies room doorway. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009



A look toward the west end of the lounge. On the far right edge of the photo was the periscope where lounge denizens could watch the film being shown upstairs. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013



The former location of the periscope screen on the north wall. Photo: Floyd B. Bariscale - Big Orange Landmarks - 2009



This piece of carpet, also sometimes used in the ladies cosmetics room before the recarpeting project, is the last surviving piece of the original 1931 carpet. This, along with historic photos, formed the basis for the design of the theatre's new carpet that was installed in 1916. The lounge, originally a carpeted space, stayed with its wood floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



A detail of the vintage carpet. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013



The three doorways at the west end of the lounge. To the left is a vestibule with the exit from the ladies room sink area as well as access to spaces south of the restaurant and on to the stairs leading up to the stage. The double door at center goes to the former restaurant area and a new kitchen. The arch at the right is to phone booths. Thanks to Stephen Russo for his 2011 photo.



The phone booths and, at the left, the restaurant entrance. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013  



A closer look into the phone booth area. This doorway was supposed to lead to a music room. It was on the plans but never got built. Photo: Floyd B. Bariscale - 2009



Looking back to the lounge entrance. Photo: Angelo Costa Photography - 2016



A closer look toward the steps. Photo: Angelo Costa - Sandra Costa Design Group/Facebook - 2016. Thanks, Angelo!  



The steps and entrance foyer before recarpeting. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013


In the restaurant and kitchen:


The restaurant entrance. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013



The glass over the entrance. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009



The restaurant, later used as a screening room. The kitchen is through the doorway at the end of the the space on the right. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019



The glass above the entrance from inside. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009



 The view back out to the lounge from inside the restaurant. Photo: Mike Hume - 2019



A look to the lounge from farther back in the restaurant. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



The bar and south wall. The area south of the restaurant, visible through the two doorways at right, was once used as a booth when this room was used as a screening room by Metropolitan Theatres. Photo: Floyd B. Bariscale - 2009 



A floor detail. Photo: Ȑoobik Boodaghians - 2013



The west wall of the space. The kitchen is off to our right, stairs to the dressing room and stage to the left. Photo: Floyd B. Bariscale - 2009



 The restaurant chandelier. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF - 2009. Thanks, Don!



The restaurant north wall -- a false wall built for filming use. Behind it there's a movie screen and the original wall behind that. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



Another north wall view. The door at left gets you back into the kitchen area. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



The "house right" (east) edge of the movie screen that's currently hidden behind the north wall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013 



Around beyond the east end of the screen Mike Hume found a small room with neon transformers. His report: "It's the space between the refreshments room and the rear of the main lounge's phone booths. Inside there's a tall yet shallow cabinet stacked with neon transformers, approximately 3.5 feet wide, 7 feet high, and maybe 8 inches deep. There’s only 2 feet of clearance in front of it. The transformers are for the auditorium's neon aisle lights."
 
 

The sheet metal contractor left his mark on the neon transformer cabinet. It's less elegantly written but Tru-Ad Co. Neon Signs also left their information. Presumably they were the neon contractor. Thanks to Mike Hume for the 2022 photo.



In the kitchen before a remodel. Since the photo was taken this area has been completely rebuilt with new kitchen facilities. Photo: Floyd B. Bariscale - 2009. Thanks, Floyd! 



The room north of the main kitchen area. Going down the hall to the right beyond that switchboard leads you to the theatre's mechanical rooms and more electrical switchboards arrayed in a series of rooms along the north side of the building on this 2nd basement level. On the original plans there was supposed to be a music room in this area, just off the main lounge. It never got built. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



Stairs from this northwest corner of the basement up and out to the exit passageway north of the theatre. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



Looking back into the main kitchen area from the auxiliary rooms to the north. The cables were snaking through this area for a temporary power feed up to the stage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



Looking south from the kitchen area back out into the restaurant. Continuing through the far doorway you're in the space south of the restaurant that was once used as a projection booth. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013  



A kitchen view from the passage south of the restaurant. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013


 
In the passage south of the restaurant. The far door gets you into the kitchen -- note the cables snaking through up to stage right. The large doorway (and the one at the extreme right) gets you into the restaurant. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013

Yes, those are projection ports in the wall in front of us. Not original, but from the days Metropolitan Theatres used the area as a screening room. We're standing where the booth was. Out of the frame to the left are the stairs up one level to the dressing rooms. Up two levels and you're onstage.



Looking into the restaurant from the south. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013



The view east back toward the lounge from south of the restaurant. Before entering the lounge itself, you're in a little vestibule with an exit door from the ladies room sink area. Photo: Bill Counter - 2013


Vintage lounge views:


A drawing of "The Lounge" by S. Charles Lee. It's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.



The south side of the foyer at the bottom of the stairs. Up the stairs one level is the intermediate lounge. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387266 - 1931



A detail of the south wall of the foyer. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931



A peek into the lounge from the foyer at the bottom of the stairs. We're looking west toward the stage end of the building. Behind us is the men's room. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931. The photo also appears in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.



A classy look into a great space. That's the restaurant entrance straight ahead. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387263 - 1931



Another peek in. That's the screen for the periscope system on the north wall. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931



A better look at the north wall. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001454721 - 1931. There's also a version of the photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.



A view across to the north wall from the center of the room. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387264 - 1931



The furniture pushed aside so we can check out the carpet design.  Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387267 - 1931



The periscope. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931



On the left midway along the south wall is the entrance to the ladies lounge area and nursery. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001454721 - 1931



A closer look at the ladies lounge entrance. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387264 - 1931



Another view over toward the south and west walls but this time with the lights turned on in the ladies room and off in the restaurant. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931



The west end of the lounge with a different furniture arrangement. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931



A sofa and chair for your inspection. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931



More furniture. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387264 - 1931 



A detail of the phone booths at the west end of the lounge. They're just to the right of the restaurant entrance. Note the lyre above the arch -- this was to be the entrance to the music room that didn't get built. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387264 - 1931



Another chance to admire the room's elegant paneling. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387267 - 1931 



Looking back toward toward the stairs that lead up to the lobby. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387267 - 1931. There's also a version of the photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.


Vintage views of the restaurant:  


On the left, the north wall of the restaurant. At the far right is the doorway back out into the lounge. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387262 - 1931. There's also a version of the photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.



Another 1931 look at the counter and tables. It's a photo by W.E. Woodcock that once appeared on the Theatre Historical Society Facebook page.



A view along the counter. Photo: Mott Studios - California State Library set # 001387263 - 1931

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